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Getting Festive with Korean Holidays!

By Kaitlin Clifford

Holidays around the world can differ from the ones in the United States. Each country has its own customs and traditions that often blend into their holidays. In Korea, some of the holidays are the same, but most of us living in the U.S. have likely never heard of many others. Starting from the beginning of the year, let’s go through some of the most prominent holidays Koreans celebrate:

2019

January 1 –New Year’s Day

Like other countries, the first day of the new year is celebrated. This day, however, isn’t as widely celebrated in Korea as the Korean Lunar New Year, Seollal.

White Day is also similar to Valentine’s Day, but instead of the women giving gifts, the men do. On this day, men usually view the “Rule of Three,” which means that the gift they are giving should be roughly three times the value of the gift they received on Valentine’s Day.

April 14 – Black Day

Black Day in Korea is a special day, not for couples, but instead for the singles around the country! Single people come together to sit and eat jjajangmyeon in order to “mourn” the fact that they are single.

This day is to celebrate children and the bounds they go through to become good adults. Parents hope for their children to grow up healthy and become good citizens. To reward them for their behavior, parents take them to parks, zoos, or to the cinema for a day of fun.

May 12 – Buddha's Birthday

Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month according to the Chinese Lunar calendar. At many temples across Korea, rituals are held, and lanterns are strung up in the streets leading to those temples.

This holiday is celebrated how most other countries celebrate, with trees and lights all around Korea. Since it is an official holiday, people have the day off of school and work, but go back the next day and await for the longer break later in the new year.

What’s interesting is that these are only some of most celebrated holidays that Korea has to offer.